In November 2017, Member States of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) will convene in a Leader’s Summit to be followed by an East Asia Leader’s Summit together with the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

These will be the culminating meetings of the ASEAN that will be held in the Philippines who currently sits as its chair for this year.

Both the ASEAN and the EAS events will happen at a time of rising tensions in the region due to intensifying competition between US and China for spheres of influence, and the shift to a multipolar world order amidst a protracted global depression.

US imperialism is determined to defend its global hegemony (including in the Asia-Pacific) against the rise of Chinese imperialism and other rivals such as Russia and their allies through its multi-pronged Pivot to Asia policy. In line with this, the US is leading the drive towards increasing militarization in the Asia-Pacific and raising the risk of open military confrontation and war that imperils peace and the future of the peoples of Asia and in other areas. The region remains one where the US military presence is further expanding and consolidating; where the conflict among multiple poles of power is evident, and; where oppositions to US hegemony by states or by revolutionary movements for independence are present.

Also developing in the region is the US’ sabre-rattling in North Korea. Using the nuclear testing of North Korea, the US with its allies South and Japan have been intensifying its effort to discredit North Korea and heighten the tension in the Korea Peninsula.

On the other hand, the current Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte recently exposed himself to be a staunch puppet of US Imperialism and like his predecessors, the unjust, anti-people and unequal treaties with the US like the VFA, EDCA, to name a few, remains active and are still being enforced. While at the same time continue to succumb to China’s military encroachment of the West Philippine sea.

In August 2017, the ILPS led a Conference on War and Militarism that gathered anti-war forces around the world and united the participating organizations in heightening the campaign to resist the US-led war, US military bases.

Meanwhile, anti-imperialist forces including the ILPS Philippines, New Patriotic Alliance (BAYAN) and its sectoral allies are conducting the SEA People’s Campaign 2017 that consists of various activities, conferences, and mobilizations under the theme “Resist imperialist globalization and war! Struggle for an independent, sovereign and peaceful Southeast Asia.”

The November meetings, therefore, are opportune times to highlight people’s global resistance against imperialist economic, political and military agenda. Anti-imperialist solidarity on the US-led war militarism can be expanded and consolidated. The political issues that will be tackled and the actions that will be conducted also serve as a rich background for the need to raise the campaign to resist the US-led war, US Military Bases to a new height while at the same time establishing the ILPS chapter in Asia-Pacific region and relaunch the Ban the Bases network.

Conference Objectives

Mobilize anti-imperialist forces in the region to join the protests against the East Asia Leader’s Summit;

Serve as a regional flashpoint for the global campaign on US-led war and militarism including US military bases;

Formulate a plan of action to widen and intensify campaign against imperialist agenda in Asia and the Pacific;

To launch ILPS Asia Pacific and consolidate its members, allies and potential members on the analysis of imperialist agenda, policies and actions in Asia and the Pacific.